The Moot
The Moot is an annual week-long meeting held in a new secret location each gathering. Those outside of House Pyxis may have only heard stories about what goes on at the Moot. The members of the House exchange their tales, maps and discoveries while having a party unlike anything most of the sector has ever seen. Many of the House's most important elections take place during the Moot and Pyxis travel from across the sector, dropping whatever they’re doing in order to make it to the mootsite. For the duration of the Moot, Pyxis seem to vanish from the sector. History The Moot began as the anniversary celebration of the founding of House Pyxis. Originally held on Lodestone, it was viewed as necessary to bring the disparate and nomadic Pyxis back together to give approval to the many shifts that were taking place in the structure of the nascent house and catalogue the progress of the house’s discoveries. This is also the root of the perception of the Moot as a party. Granny Pyxis saw the best way to ensure as many Pyxis turned up as possible was to organise the wildest party the sector had ever seen. While party scholars dispute whether the first Moot was in fact the wildest party the sector had ever seen, nobody denies that it set a precedent. Every year since has been an attempt to surpass the previous Moots. The legend of the Moot soon began to spread across the sector. This was troublesome for two reasons. First, it meant that a bunch of squares kept showing up and ruining the party. Second, it attracted the attention of law enforcement and spies. This was a serious problem, because squares ruin parties and the Moot had become a hub for trading illicit maps. It was illegal until 3201 for anyone but House Vela to make and trade in maps and as such the use of PATHS and the exchange of data at the Moot had to be kept hidden from the authorities. This caused Granny Pyxis to declare that the Moot would no longer be held on Lodestone and would instead take place at a secret location. Since then Pyxis have competed in the ‘Mootquest’ to find the ideal location to host the Moot every year. The Diet of Mootseekers The Mootquest has become a touchstone of Pyxis society and winning it is one of its highest honours. Some Pyxis dedicate their lives to it, taking on the title of Mootseekers. These Seekers will not take on any discovery title if the discovery is not accepted as the year’s Mootsite. While initially viewed as a peculiar group of niche enthusiasts, as time went by victories by Mootseekers increasingly common to the point of total domination. Only one non-Mootseeker has won the Mootquest since 3184, when Mirrorpalace Pyxis Tresidder Nyo, won in 3192. Fifty years ago, Granny Pyxis formalised Moot organisation under these enthusiasts, to some extent. Every year, one month before the Moot, she calls the Diet of Mootseekers at a bar of her choice on Lodestone. Anyone with a Mootsite they would like to propose is welcome to attend and is locked into the bar until a decision is made. Attendants of the diet are expected to put self interest aside. Each has a chance to present their prospective Mootsite before a debate begins around the pros and cons of each. Some years as many as 100 options are presented, so this can last for days. To prevent the debate being endless, Granny Pyxis is given the final say in the discussion, but this power is almost only ever used once a consensus has already formed. Once a site has been decided on the diet then enters phase two: party planning. The Mootseekers decide how best to use every aspect of the Mootsite. This requires a huge amount of work, needing to accommodate thousands of ships and hundreds of thousands of people, all in secret. Mootseekers quickly begin to spread out across the sector, gathering materials and preparing the venue. The Riddle To prevent non-Pyxis interlopers from finding the Mootsite, a monstrously complex riddle is constructed. It usually comes in several parts which must be deciphered in turn by finding different locations across the sector. The solution relies on a deep knowledge and understanding of Pyxis culture, referencing riddles past, in-jokes and folk tales. Sometimes the clues have no logical solution at all and simply require the person answering them to think in such a way that the riddler considers to be sufficiently Pyxis in mindset. While it is technically possible for a non-Pyxis to uncover the location of the Moot by solving the riddle, it is generally agreed that such an outsider would need such an impressive understanding of Pyxis culture that they would nevertheless be welcome at the celebration. Events The Moot is a chaotic thunder of a party, thousands of ships docking together in an exotic locale to form a spectacular lattice of revelry. Any kind of party can be found at the Moot, from weddings to funerals to raves to orgies to dinner parties. Some are weighty and monumental, others frivolous and joyful. They fuse at their edges, attendees able to move freely between them. For one week, nobody sleeps. The Pyxis want to make the most of their time together, so the cocktail of drugs used by Echoes to allow them to spike single handed flows freely. For one week, nobody sleeps. The Moot is also where Pyxis elects its Orators for the next year, at least nominally. The process by which the title of Orator changes hands is so fiendishly complex no political scientist has yet managed to catalog it in its entirety. Over the course of the week a great many debates are held and various Pyxis will put their names forward for the role. The act of even nominating oneself for the position is seen as a great personal sacrifice, offering to give up a year of discovery in the service of the house. In fact, actually desiring the position is seen as a detriment and a sign of being a cynical careerist. At the end of the week all adults of the house vote for four candidates. The four with the most votes become the orators. Previously, the Rose Orator would be randomly selected from those who failed to win a vote, the role being transferred every month to another candidate selected randomly from the pool. However, since the ascension of Rona Solanum to the Imperial Throne she has been declared the Eternal Rose and now holds the position for life.Category:House Pyxis